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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26143810">alchemy initiative (collection)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/grilledcheezer/pseuds/grilledcheezer'>grilledcheezer</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Major character death exists in some of these!!! Beware!!, Whump, Whumpty Dumpty, adding tags as i go!, blood!!! &amp; injury!!!, boy has a breakdown too, hello angst my old friend, no beta we die like men</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:07:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,798</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26143810</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/grilledcheezer/pseuds/grilledcheezer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of drabbles &amp; one shots written for Alchemy Initiative!! Tags in description are for the entirety of the collection, but relevant tags/warnings will be stated at the beginning of each chapter!! &lt;3</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Quirin &amp; Varian (Disney)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. they say hearing is the last to go</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>He heard it, over and over again—the amber, working against his good intentions, trapping someone else he cared about. <br/>He just couldn’t stop hearing it.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>✧RELEVANT CHAPTER TAGS: major character death, blood/injury, angst!!!</p><p>✧ challenge: angst</p><p>✧ prompt: mistake</p><p>So... hello!! Proof that despite my inactivity, I am, in fact, still alive.<br/>I'm actually late for *official* submission on this event (I thought today was Saturday, oops) but here it is anyhow! xD</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>𐄙─✧──𐄙────✧────𐄙──✧─𐄙</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>As soon as he saw the Coronan guard rushing towards them, ashen-faced and breathless, Varian knew something was wrong. </p><p>“Captain!”</p><p>The man came to a stop before two horses, looking up at their riders as he struggled to catch his breath. His features were stricken with panic, and he looked like he could collapse onto the ground at any given moment— both of which did little to appease the growing pit Varian felt in his stomach.</p><p>Something was <em> definitely </em>wrong. </p><p>“Cassandra is in Corona,” the guard managed to gasp out in between fits of wheezes and coughs. “She’s attacking Rapunzel!”</p><p>As if on cue, a chorus of screams erupted from the square, sending hordes of citizens scrambling away from the castle and towards the main gate. Varian glanced at Eugene, his friend’s somber expression confirming the fear that gnawed at his insides. </p><p>The pair locked eyes; a silent agreement passed between them before they spurred into action, guiding their horses into the fray. On the short ride towards the square, Varian prepared himself for the worst.</p><p>As they rode on, the echoes of flicking reins rang clear in his ears, and the sound of thundering hooves synced up to the beating of his heart. Varian tried to focus on it— it was much easier than listening to the shrieks of terror emitting from the people who ran past him, or the clanking of metal that grew louder as they approached the scene. The sounds were all-too reminiscent of that fateful battle in Old Corona two years ago.</p><p>His actions that day—kidnapping the queen, nearly killing Rapunzel with his invention, going on a full-blown rampage when he'd lost all hope—all of it had changed his life for the worse. It seemed that no matter how many times things went horribly wrong in his life, though, Varian never learned.</p><p>He'd broken out of prison with the Sapporians, erased the memories of the king and queen, and taken over the kingdom. He'd nearly gotten all of his friends killed when they'd risked their lives to save him from Cassandra's tower. Hell, <em> he'd </em>been the one responsible for his father losing over a year of his life.</p><p>And even now, it was because of <em> his </em> mistake that the princess' life was in danger, yet <em> again. </em></p><p>How had Cassandra managed to slip past their defences? Past <em> him? </em>It had been such a simple task; all he had to do was keep watch at the gate, yet Varian had somehow managed to mess up even that. </p><p>
  <em> All he had to do was make sure Cassandra didn’t get in.  </em>
</p><p>It had been so <em> simple. </em></p><p>He was trapped— doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over until everyone he’d ever known wound up hurt because of it. Because of <em> him. </em> </p><p>The faults of his past had always shadowed him; trouble and disaster struck wherever he was, relentless and paying no heed as to whether or not he deserved it. Perhaps fate—or whatever supreme force that controlled the universe—simply had it out for him. Or perhaps his darkest thoughts had been right all along, and Varian truly deserved all the suffering his actions had brought upon him.</p><p>Honestly, he found it almost comical at this point; if it weren’t for their current predicament, he would be in stitches over it.</p><p>Alas, he was shaken from his thoughts upon arriving at the scene— and it was worse than he had imagined it to be. </p><p>Cassandra stood at the centre of the chaos, knees bent and arms outstretched as she sent waves of deadly rocks towards anyone who tried to get too close. The guards could do little more than leap out of the way of her attacks, a sword occasionally nicking the surface of a rock and shattering into a hundred pieces.</p><p>As the fighting went on, Cassandra's lips curled into a nasty snarl; yet Varian noticed that unlike the time at her tower—where she’d locked him up and dangled him above the ground without so much as a second thought—her actions lacked malice. Right now, she looked more like a cornered animal than a merciless villain. As for Rapunzel, well...</p><p>She was standing about three feet away from Cassandra, attempting to coax her into backing down. Amidst the battle, she extended a warm hand, reaching out to her former best friend in a display of forgiveness.</p><p>Surprisingly, it seemed as if Cassandra was finally ready to accept it. Her expression softened, flickering back and forth between doubt and acceptance. Even the rocks had stopped shooting out from the ground, and everyone on the battlefield held their breaths.</p><p>And then it all went to hell.</p><p>Varian remembered getting off the horse when they first arrived. He remembered taking a knee and resting the amber gun against his shoulder, praying he wouldn’t actually need to <em> use </em> the wretched thing. He remembered Eugene looking him in the eye as he ordered him to hold his fire. </p><p>What he <em> didn’t </em>remember doing was pulling the trigger. </p><p>One minute, he was gripping onto the handle, trying his best to stifle his nerves as he thought about the origin of the weapon he held in his shaking hands. The next minute, Varian found himself nearly sprawled onto the ground, the force of the gun's recoil sending him a step backwards. </p><p>Varian supposed he must have jostled the invention a little too much— he could barely keep his hands steady, after all. Maybe his hand had grazed the trigger without him noticing. Or perhaps it had been faulty from the start.</p><p>No matter what the cause was, the blame lay on him. And yet again, someone else had paid dearly for his actions. </p><p>No matter how much he wanted to, Varian couldn’t bring himself to look away. His eyes remained fixed on the amber, on the twisted look of betrayal and terror that formed on its—<em> his </em>—victim’s face. A warm orange blossomed in spirals from where he’d hit Cassandra in the chest, spreading out across her body at an agonizing pace— almost as if the amber itself had slowed down time just to taunt him. </p><p>In a brief flash of hysteria, Varian noted the amber’s resemblance to the golden flower. In appearance, the resemblance was uncanny.</p><p>
  <em> It was beautiful. </em>
</p><p>The flower and its magical properties had been sought after by many; in the end, though, it had ended up merged with none other than Rapunzel— the physical embodiment of kindness and warmth. </p><p>The amber, on the other hand, had been a product of science rather than magic. It didn’t heal, nor provide people with a symbol of hope; it wasn’t destructive in the same way the black rocks were, either— it was much more wicked. It ensnared its victims, choosing to freeze rather than kill them, so that they were forced to spend their lives watching the world move on without them.</p><p>In more ways than one, the amber was both beautiful and cruel all at once.</p><p>In that moment that felt like eternity, Varian recalled with newfound bitterness the joy he’d felt when he’d saved Corona with the very solution that had taken his father from him. What a fool he’d been for thinking the universe would grant him that same mercy again.</p><p> </p><p>Then that moment ended, and Varian found himself staring at his former friend through a sheet of sunset glass.</p><p> </p><p>He dropped the gun in shock, throwing it to the ground as if it had scorched the very skin of his palms. He couldn’t think—he couldn’t <em> breathe </em>—and all he could see was orange. </p><p>The sound was by far the worst, though. </p><p>Varian could still hear it—the loud, crushing noise that the amber made as it enveloped Cassandra’s armoured body; the sound of her voice growing muffled as the orange rock covered her screams; that final <em> crack </em> as the amber stopped growing, and the eerie silence that followed it.</p><p>It was all too much—too <em> loud. </em> The taunting sounds returned in echoes, roaring in his ears as they drowned out the rest of the world. </p><p>Varian couldn’t hear the rage in Rapunzel’s voice as she whipped her head around, demanding to know what had happened. He didn’t hear Eugene calling out to him in anger, and then in worry, when he took notice of the boy’s state. </p><p>Varian could only watch them numbly, as their lips moved without noise.</p><p>His surroundings were closing in—<em> boxing </em> him in until the only thing Varian could see was Cassandra, her features twisted in horror as the amber froze her in time. Trapped and put on display, much like one of the chemical-filled flasks he kept on a shelf in his lab.</p><p>Varian couldn’t move. His limbs were like lead, hanging stiffly from his body without purpose. </p><p>He heard it, over and over again—the amber, working against his good intentions, trapping someone else he cared about. </p><p>
  <em> He just couldn’t stop hearing it. </em>
</p><p>Which was why Varian didn’t notice when Cassandra managed to break out of her prison in a fit of fury. </p><p>Pain and anger flashed across her face, and in a decision made purely on emotion, the moonstone wielder unleashed a wave of black rocks upon her former friends. </p><p>One of them managed to graze Rapunzel’s left shoulder, and she cried out in shock when she saw the red on her sleeve. Eugene just barely managed to dodge the rocks that were sent his way. As for Varian, well—</p><p>He heard it before he felt it. </p><p>As the rock made contact, the sound of ripping fabric and torn flesh overpowered that of the amber’s. There was a moment of eerie stillness—a silence that deafened them all. </p><p>And then, the world erupted. </p><p>The amber broke, and sound crashed into him like a tidal wave. He was drowning in it—in the pain, the screams, the echoes of desperation. </p><p>This time Varian heard Rapunzel’s shriek. He could make out the hitch in Eugene’s voice as he called out his name, and he heard the sound of metal hitting dirt as a sword clattered to the ground. </p><p>He even registered the silence from Cassandra, who was standing—utterly petrified—with her mouth half-agape, as if sound had failed to rip from her throat mid-way through screaming. </p><p>Varian dared to look down. The black spots in his vision mingled with the darkness of the rock now embedded in his left side. It had cut clean through; the rock’s sharp tip protruded from his back, a trail of blood accompanying it. </p><p>For a moment, it seemed as if time had frozen in place. The world around him was on pause—and the people he cared about stood still, watching in muted horror. </p><p><em> Was this what it felt like? </em> Varian wondered. </p><p>Was this how his father had felt for over a year—how Cassandra had felt mere moments ago? </p><p>And then, just as the pain finally dulled to a spreading numbness, it increased tenfold in the blink of an eye. The rock inside his gut retracted and sunk back into the ground, sliding out of his body with slick ease. </p><p>With nothing left to keep him upright, Varian collapsed to the ground in a crimson puddle.</p><p>Within seconds, there were hands all over him. Eugene was pressing down on the wound, crying— <em> trying. </em> Rapunzel was shaking, her face covered in tears that dripped down onto the injured alchemist.<br/><br/>He was drowning again, it seemed.</p><p>“You’re okay, kid, everything’s gonna be okay-”<br/><br/><em> Okay? </em>Varian thought hazily. Somehow he doubted it. He coughed, coppery liquid slipping between his lips at an alarming rate.</p><p>There was red, <em> so much red. </em>Varian hated the colour; it reminded him too much of the day he lost control— the day he stood behind that poppy-tinted glass, gripping the automaton’s controls as if his very life depended on it.</p><p>He coughed again, his side erupting in pain as he did so. </p><p>“Varian, just take my hand, okay?”</p><p>Varian wished he was still hearing the amber right now, because the sound of the princess’ voice breaking at his expense hurt too much. How could she do this? </p><p>How could she be so <em> caring </em>towards him right now?</p><p><em> He </em> was the one who had encased Cassandra. He had been the one to let her slip into the kingdom unnoticed, and the one who had given her the Third Incantation. He’d been the one who’d crushed her in a metal arm, and created the very solution he’d just used to hurt her <em> . </em></p><p>
  <em> Yet again.  </em>
</p><p>“No—kid, please, stay with me-”</p><p>Varian blinked as he tried to make out the distorted forms of his friends. His vision was fading fast, and he was wavering now, clinging to consciousness as if his life—no, <em> because </em>his life—depended on it. </p><p>His eyes flickered towards a blob of black to his right—a clutter of black rocks, Varian recalled.</p><p>Ironically enough, even though he couldn’t see them nearly as clearly as he could before, Varian saw them in a different light for the first time. They were not ugly, nor monstrous—despite the fact that they had done horrible things.</p><p>They had overtaken villages, left buildings in ruin, left families homeless. They had hurt people in irreparable ways. They had destroyed his home— destroyed <em> him.  </em></p><p>The black rocks were dangerous, and dark—but they weren’t evil. They were also sleek and elegant, and Varian regretted not noticing it sooner. And, being that they were either governed by the Moonstone or pulled towards the Sundrop, they had no control of their own. No free will or motivation at all.</p><p>His vision left him now, and his eyes closed on their own.</p><p>It was beautifully cruel, Varian thought, to be killed like this.</p><p>“Varian! Just-just hold on, we’re gonna get you help, I promise-”</p><p><em> Promises are usually broken, Princess. </em> </p><p>It wasn’t funny, really—the situation was anything but. Here he was on the verge of death, choking on his own blood, yet Varian was finding it difficult to stifle the urge to laugh. </p><p>As he lay in that crimson puddle, he wished he could see his dad one last time. </p><p>The last thing his dad had told him was to be careful, after Varian had said he was going to the main gate with Eugene today. He was going to protect the kingdom, he'd said.</p><p>He wished he could hang out with Eugene once more. </p><p>The older man always had a way with making him laugh, and Varian treasured every minute they’d spent together. He’d never had an older brother before.</p><p>He wished he could comfort Rapunzel and wipe away the tears that now flooded her cheeks; he couldn’t feel them anymore, he’d long lost that sense by now— but Varian could still hear her pain-wracked sobs, and the name she kept repeating as she clutched his limp body close to her own warm heart.</p><p> </p><p>He wished he hadn’t. Stifled it, that is.</p><p>Because as it turns out, a laugh wouldn’t have been the worst thing to hear before he died. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <strong>𐄙─✧──𐄙────✧────𐄙──✧─𐄙</strong>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I had fun with this!! Dipping back into the angst pool is always a trip. </p><p>I'd love to hear your thoughts!! &amp; if y'all ever wanna chat (or simply say hi!), feel free to poke me on my <a href="https://grilledcheezerwheezer.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/grilledcheezerwheezer/">Instagram!!&lt;3</a></p><p>✧ If you'd like to share/reblog this chappie, link is <a href="https://grilledcheezerwheezer.tumblr.com/post/627976763534966784/alchemy-initiative-collection-chapter-i">here!!</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. dear dad (post scriptum: my days are numbered)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Asking questions never did him any good, it seems.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p> ✧RELEVANT CHAPTER TAGS: [low-key] angst (haha of course)</p><p>✧ challenge: letter format</p><p>✧ prompt: mystery</p><p>Triple Kudos to anyone who actually reads this one start-to-finish DDSKDSJSJS I wrote...a bit...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>𐄙─✧──𐄙────✧────𐄙──✧─𐄙</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>No. 1</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Dear Dad, </p><p> </p><p>I finally listened to you. </p><p>I’ve decided to take up a journal—not to write down my <em> thoughts </em> and my <em> feelings</em>, like you once suggested—but to jot down notes for anything I find to be of interest. </p><p>Meaning? This’ll probably just be used for scientific purposes. </p><p>I’m sorry, Dad. I know how you feel about alchemy. </p><p>I know you think it’s <em> dangerous, </em> or whatever, but it really isn’t! I’ll admit that the hot water debacle didn’t exactly do me any favours there, but that had more to do with my own recklessness than with <em> alchemy. </em></p><p>Besides, I’ll be extra careful this time around. I promise.</p><p>And, look…</p><p>I know that for the village’s sake I agreed to take a break from alchemy, for just a little while— but I couldn’t do it. I tried, Dad, I <em> really </em> tried— but there’s just so much out there, <em> waiting </em> to be discovered. </p><p>Case in point: today’s newfound anomaly.</p><p>I’d decided to take the long way back home from the village square—you know, the path that cuts through the woods and skirts along the Wall—and that’s when I saw it.</p><p>At the edge of the woods stood a clump of obsidian-coloured rocks. They’d pierced straight through the earth, jutting out from seemingly-random spots. </p><p>They’d sprung up near the wall (some had pierced through the stone itself, leaving a sizable hole in the border), and a few of the rocks had even made it to the outskirts of the forest. </p><p>Upon closer observation, I noticed that they didn’t appear to be, well...<em> natural </em> in any sort of way. It seemed as if the rocks had violently erupted from the ground—out of <em> nowhere </em> and with no obvious provocations—simply to interrupt the natural environment.</p><p>The rocks didn’t seem to follow any sort of pattern, either.</p><p>The only conclusion I <em> could </em> draw from them was that they all seemed to be heading in the same direction— towards Corona. </p><p>And so, this is why I’ve decided to keep a journal, in the end— to have a place where I can keep detailed records about these types of anomalies, in hopes of discovering some way to understand them.</p><p>They’re a mystery, that’s for sure— but for the time being, at least, they don’t appear to pose any sort of threat. </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>No. 6</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>I tried the axe today. </p><p>It was a last-ditch attempt— I’ve already tried every possible weapon and tool that I could find lying around the house, so I didn’t have much hope for this one, either.</p><p>I was right, of course. As soon as it made contact with the rock, the head of the axe shattered and fell to the ground in a thousand fragments. </p><p>It appears they're just as unbreakable as the Princess’ hair.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>No. 28</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>Well, the Expo was a disaster. I don’t know why I’m surprised— everything always seems to blow up in my face.</p><p>Anyways, that’s not what this is about. </p><p>Today, I found out that the Princess was not only already aware of the existence of the black rocks, but that her hair also has a <em> connection </em> to them. I’m surprised I didn’t put it together sooner— what with their unbreakable properties and all.</p><p>She asked me to keep the black rocks a secret. </p><p>In all honesty, I’m not sure how being quiet about the problem is going to fix it. But for the first time in my life, I’m not being treated like all I’m good for is messing everything up<em> .  </em></p><p>The Princess is putting her trust in me— and I don’t intend to betray that trust.</p><p>Besides, she wouldn’t tell me to keep it a secret unless she had a plan, right? </p><p>Maybe she’s going to tell the king herself— it would sound better coming from his own daughter, after all. Or maybe she’s pursuing another lead about her hair, and wants to understand her connection to the rocks before addressing the issue publicly. </p><p>That makes sense, right? I’m sure she’s got a plan— and in that case, there’s no use causing unnecessary panic. Right?</p><p>They’re unnatural and unbreakable, sure— but what’s the worst they can do? </p><p>In the end they’re just rocks, really. </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>No. 46</strong><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>In the end, it was impossible to hide it from you. How could I, when the rocks were now springing up in the middle of the village?</p><p>I still remember the look on your face when you came home that day. </p><p>You ran down to my lab in such a frenzy that I nearly dropped half a beaker’s worth of hydrofluoric acid all over my clothes. I <em> did </em> end up accidentally knocking against the table, though— which was how most of my notes ended up scattered onto the ground.</p><p>Words can’t explain the expression I saw flash across your face when you caught a glimpse of those notes. </p><p>Was it hurt? Anger? Fear?</p><p>Or was it disappointment, Dad?</p><p> </p><p>You told me not to go near the rocks anymore. I guess I’ll just have to be more discreet, then.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p>
  <b>No. 50</b>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>Another failed experiment. </p><p>I thought I’d come close this time, but the solution just fizzled for a few moments before sliding off of the rock entirely. Fascinating.</p><p>Further tests needed.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>No. 67<br/>
<br/>
</strong>
</p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>You’ve been acting strange lately.</p><p>There’s a constant fear lingering in your eyes now— it’s become so present that I don’t even know if you realize it’s even there anymore.</p><p>It’s not the usual look, the one you wear when I tell you I’m doing alchemy or working on some new invention. For once, it doesn’t look like you’re scared because of me (of what I might do, of who I might hurt)— but that doesn’t make me feel any better.</p><p>You look <em> terrified. </em> Of what, though, I don’t know— it’s not like you’ll tell me if I ask. </p><p>I guess it’s just another mystery to add to the growing pile in the corner of the room.</p><p>On that same note— The situation with the rocks has grown exponentially worse. </p><p>They’ve completely overtaken the streets now, turning the otherwise leisurely walk down to the square into a battle to avoid accidentally getting skewered. It only took me a few grazes until you banned me from leaving the house on my own.</p><p>I still have yet to hear back from the Princess. Has she talked to the King yet? Do people outside of Old Corona even know what’s been happening?</p><p>Why is everyone around here keeping secrets?</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p>
  <b>No. 88</b>
</p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>I think I finally got it right this time. </p><p>I’ve reworked the formula several times now, but I really think this version’s going to work. If I’m right, it should elicit some sort of reaction from the black rocks.</p><p>To what degree, I’m not sure. In theory, the solution should subdue them in some way, though. </p><p>Maybe it’ll crack right through it? Dissolve it? </p><p>Only one way to find out.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>Day 1</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>I’m sorry. </p><p>I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m so sorry—</p><p>I should have been paying more attention. I should have noticed what was happening. </p><p>I should have stayed with you instead of running out the door. I should have known better than to expect help.</p><p> </p><p>I should have listened to you. </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p>
  <b>Day 2</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>I couldn’t sleep last night. </p><p>Since returning from the capital, I’ve thrown myself full-force into finding a way to destroy the amber. It’s different from the rocks, so there’s got to be a way.</p><p>I went through the same process as I did with the rocks, first— using various weapons and tools to try to destroy it with physical force. So far, not a scratch.</p><p>None of my solutions seem to be working on it either. </p><p>I was angry, yesterday...but I still have hope. The Princess will come soon, I know it. As soon as things calm down in the capital, she’ll be here. </p><p>She promised.</p><p> </p>
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  <b>Day 5</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>It’s been five days since I last heard your voice. </p><p> </p><p>The village has been empty since then. Everyone’s long gone by now, probably building a new life for themselves. Moving on.</p><p>I know you’d want that for me too, Dad. But I can’t just leave you here. </p><p>I know you can’t see me, but I can see you<em> . </em> Every day I see you, frozen in time, one arm reaching out towards freedom even in your last moments. And your eyes, squeezed shut... </p><p>Even in the amber, you can’t look at me.</p><p> </p>
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  <b>Day 7</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>Still no sign of the Princess— or anyone, for that matter. Maybe she’s still in the capital, dealing with the repercussions of the storm. It was probably bad.</p><p>I’ve been running low on food, but I can’t bring myself to leave the house— to leave you.</p><p>You’d be disappointed to know I’m still wasting my life trying to free you from an unbreakable prison. But then again, that’s what I’m good at, isn’t it? </p><p>Disappointing you?</p><p> </p>
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  <b>Day 11</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>I managed to sleep for the first time since the storm. I’d only dozed off a few times in my lab, so it was a strange feeling.</p><p>I hope you don’t mind— I slept in your room. It felt nice. Almost like you were there with me.</p><p>I’m still waiting for someone. <em> Anyone. </em></p><p>I’m sure someone will come soon—even if the Princess can’t come right away, she’d send someone, at least. Right? </p><p> </p><p><em> Where is she? </em> </p><p>The corner’s beginning to look cluttered now.</p><p> </p>
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  <b>Day 22</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>No luck so far with the amber. I've tried absolutely everything I can think of, but nothing seems to be working.</p><p>I’m not giving up on you, though. There’s got to be a way to break the amber. It can’t be unbreakable. </p><p>It <em> can’t </em> be <em> . </em></p><p> </p>
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  <b>Day 32</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>Still waiting. I’m sure it won’t be long now.</p><p>Someone <em> has </em> to care— if not for me, then for you.</p><p> </p>
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  <b>Day 39</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>Ruddiger came back with an apple today. I hadn’t even noticed he’d left.</p><p>I don’t know what I’d do without him. Probably starve. </p><p> </p><p>Still no sign of anyone. </p><p> </p>
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  <b>Day 47</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>She’s not coming. </p><p>No one’s coming. </p><p> </p>
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  <strong>Day 73</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>I found something today, washed ashore near the river— a small bottle containing drops of what appears to be some sort of mood-altering potion.</p><p>I don't know where it came from, or what it was used for. As per usual, every time an answer is within arm's reach, it comes with more questions— and problems. I don't know anything.</p><p>But after running some tests on it, I’ve figured out a way to alter its chemical composition to my benefit. </p><p>I have an idea. It’s risky, for sure— but I’ll do whatever it takes if it means freeing you from the amber, Dad.</p><p>Don’t worry. </p><p>I’ll get you out of there, I prom swear. No matter what.<br/>
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  <b>I</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>They let me keep the journal— I nearly laughed.</p><p>Here they are, hauling me off to a prison cell for who-knows-how-long, and they think they’re doing me a <em> favour </em> . This trivial act of <em> “kindness” </em>is a joke.</p><p>Where were they when I needed them? Where was anyone?</p><p>I don’t need their help. And I don’t need this stupid book.</p><p> </p>
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  <b>卌卌卌 II</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>There isn’t much to do in here, so I spend my time filling these pages with notes— things I haven’t tried yet, to break the amber.</p><p>I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t been lonely. I’ve got Ruddiger at least (another <em> favour </em> courtesy of the Coronan monarchy), as well as the man in the cell next door.</p><p>He seems...nice? He’s the only one who talks to me, at least.</p><p>Ruddiger doesn’t seem to trust him, for some reason. He won’t—he physically <em> can’t </em>—tell me why, though. </p><p>At this point I’m too tired to question anything, anyways. I’m tired of the questions, the mysteries, the <em> secrets </em>. </p><p>I’m so tired of it all.</p><p> </p><p>The pile’s long overtaken the room by now.</p><p> </p>
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  <b>卌卌卌卌卌</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>It’s cold tonight— like the night of the blizzard. Colder, even.</p><p>Back then, at least I had something to drive me—push me forward— right into the blinding white without hesitation.</p><p>Now, though, there’s nothing. No hope. No anger. </p><p>Only cold. </p><p> </p><p>I miss you.</p><p> </p>
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  <b>卌卌卌卌卌卌卌IIII</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Dear Dad,</p><p> </p><p>The man offered me a deal today.</p><p>He—Andrew, I think his name was—and his friends are planning an escape, and they need my help. </p><p>I don’t trust him fully— or anyone of them, for that matter. I’ve trusted blindly before, and look where <em> that </em> got me.</p><p>But they’re asking for <em> my </em> help. <em> Me. </em></p><p>Besides, when am I ever going to get another opportunity like this? This could be my one chance at getting out of here— at <em> freeing </em> you.</p><p>I’ll proceed with caution, and prepare a back-up plan in case things go awry, of course. Alchemy bombs have always been a safe bet.</p><p>I won’t go in as blindly as I did before— I’ll take the hand extended towards me with hesitance.</p><p>I’ve got some time to think about it, anyways. It’ll take some time—a few months, at least— to gather everything needed in order to pull off such an elaborate escape... </p><p>Speaking of plans, I need to talk to the man Andrew again soon— preferably sometime after dark, the guards on duty today tend to doze off rather quickly.</p><p>I don’t quite remember what he said his idea was, for after the escape.</p><p> </p><p>Something about a wand?</p><p> </p><p>𐄙─✧──𐄙────✧────𐄙──✧─𐄙</p><p> </p><p>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you  s q u i n t  real hard you can actually find the prompt in there. Somewhere. DSJDSJDSJDS<br/>ALL JOKES ASIDE I DID USE IT (a few times actually!!), just made it a lil less obvious than usual aha! 'Tis sprinkled across the three different letter segments in different ways ;) </p><p>I PROMISE I USED THE PROMPT SDKJSAKSAJDDS</p><p>Anywho, this one was pesky to write. First time trying out first person, so it was definitely a trip aha!!</p><p> </p><p>As usual, I'd love to hear your thoughts!! &amp; if y'all ever wanna chat (or simply say hi!), feel free to poke me on my <a href="https://grilledcheezerwheezer.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/grilledcheezerwheezer/">Instagram!!&lt;3</a></p><p>✧ If you'd like to share/reblog this chappie, link is <a href="https://grilledcheezerwheezer.tumblr.com/post/628650100748697600/alchemy-initiative-collection-chapter-ii">here!!</a><br/> </p>
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